Our novel study is Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.
You got ready for this new challenge by learning about how to read "between the lines" in short stories, looking for elements of fiction and for literary expertise. Now you are going to show off these skills by showing you can do these things with a longer work--a novel.
You will work with teammates to do most of the analysis and discussion. You have the unit plan outline, but in case yours gets lost or damaged, here is a copy for download:
While I don't have any lawyer briefs to show you as samples (because you're the first group to be able to choose to be lawyers), here is a sample psychologist's report. Since I wrote it, it is very good for a grade 9 student...but remember that plagiarism is BAD! While you can read this and analyse it to help your writing, if you use my ideas/words you will NOT be showing me your own work...so beware!
Class structure will look like this for the duration of the unit:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
DSR
Section quiz (to be sure you’ve done the reading)
Theme Tracker (weekly jigsaw)
Reading/work time.
DSR
Discussion groups
DSR
Project groups (double block)
DSR
Complete silent discussion questions during class (you may feel free to work on these during “down time” on other days. You can read in preparation for next week’s groups!
DSR
Hand in chosen silent discussion question(s).
Class discussion of section and/or teacher-directed lesson.
Timeline for readings:
Section
Number of pages
Chapters
Pages
Quizzed on:
1
26
Third Peter Graff
1-8 9-15 16-26
Monday, April 13 (tests/quizzes)
2
39
Launch Games The Giant’s Drink
27-36 37-53 54-65
Monday, April 20 (tests/quizzes)
3
54
Salamander Rat
66-96 97-119
Monday, April 27 (tests/quizzes)
4
34
Locke and Demosthenes
120-153
Monday, May 4 (tests/quizzes)
5
73
Dragon Veni, Vidi, Vici Bonzo
154-172 173-199 200-226
Monday, May 11 (tests/quizzes)
6
98
Valentine Ender’s Teacher Speaker for the Dead
227-254 255-304 305-324
Tuesday, May 19 (tests/quizzes)
Here is an extra copy of your groups sheet, in case you misplace yours. You'll have to get help reconstructing who's on your team (along with their number, in the case of your Theme Home group).
And, just in case you left your notes in your locker, in mom's car, or on the bench at skating practice...here are the six themes that we are examining as we read the novel. Each Monday, you should be ready to discuss events and quotations you have noticed in the week's section that support each of the themes. (In other words, bring ideas for all six themes...you will discuss one in detail and report back to your home group.)
1. Genius and Innovation:
A major theme in Ender's Game is Ender's incredible ability to think outside the box, to see things from a new perspective, and to try things no one else has ever thought to try before. What can we learn from this story about genius and innovation? What can we learn about creative and critical thinking?
2. Effective and Ineffective Leadership:
Throughout Ender's Game, we see examples of leaders and leadership--some great, like Ender and Alai, and some terrible, like Bonzo and Rose the Nose. Based on the examples we see in the book, what can we learn about effective leadership? What makes a good leader? What can destroy effective leadership?
3. Adult Manipulation of Young People:
A major theme in Ender's Game is that the adults are constantly manipulating young people to serve their purposes. Why do adults (in the story and in real life) try to manipulate children? Is manipulating another person necessarily a bad thing? Is allowing yourself to be manipulated a good thing or a bad thing?
4. Isolation and Loneliness:
Throughout Ender's Game, Ender is isolated--kept apart from other children and young adults who could be his friends. Why do the adults at Battle School do this to him? And what effects does this isolation have on Ender? What can we learn about the effects of isolation and loneliness?
5. Humanity and Inhumanity:
A major theme in Ender's Game is the relationship between humanity and inhumanity. "Humanity" means having compassion or sympathy for other people, especially people in pain or distress. So a "humane" person finds it hard to hurt another person or animal because he or she feels sympathy for others. "Inhumanity," on the other hand, means a lack of these compassionate qualities. So an "inhumane" person is often brutal and merciless.
Ender Wiggin is an interesting character because he seems to show both of these qualities. As we read Ender's Game, what can we learn about humanity and inhumanity? What really makes a person humane or inhumane?
6. The Justification of Violence during War: Ender's Game raises an important moral and ethical question: In a state of war, are you justified in doing anything necessary to win? Graff and the leaders of Battle School allow some terrible things to happen, including the death of a student. Ender does some terrible things, killing not only two other children, but also an entire race of intelligent beings. Can those acts of violence be justified because they were necessary to win the war against the buggers? Were some of those acts still morally wrong? In war, can all violence be justified? Where is the line between acceptable and unacceptable violence?
You got ready for this new challenge by learning about how to read "between the lines" in short stories, looking for elements of fiction and for literary expertise. Now you are going to show off these skills by showing you can do these things with a longer work--a novel.
You will work with teammates to do most of the analysis and discussion. You have the unit plan outline, but in case yours gets lost or damaged, here is a copy for download:
While I don't have any lawyer briefs to show you as samples (because you're the first group to be able to choose to be lawyers), here is a sample psychologist's report. Since I wrote it, it is very good for a grade 9 student...but remember that plagiarism is BAD! While you can read this and analyse it to help your writing, if you use my ideas/words you will NOT be showing me your own work...so beware!
Class structure will look like this for the duration of the unit:
Section quiz (to be sure you’ve done the reading)
Theme Tracker (weekly jigsaw)
Reading/work time.
Discussion groups
Project groups
(double block)
Complete silent discussion questions during class (you may feel free to work on these during “down time” on other days. You can read in preparation for next week’s groups!
Hand in chosen silent discussion question(s).
Class discussion of section and/or teacher-directed lesson.
Peter
Graff
9-15
16-26
(tests/quizzes)
Games
The Giant’s Drink
37-53
54-65
(tests/quizzes)
Rat
97-119
(tests/quizzes)
(tests/quizzes)
Veni, Vidi, Vici
Bonzo
173-199
200-226
(tests/quizzes)
Ender’s Teacher
Speaker for the Dead
255-304
305-324
(tests/quizzes)
And, just in case you left your notes in your locker, in mom's car, or on the bench at skating practice...here are the six themes that we are examining as we read the novel. Each Monday, you should be ready to discuss events and quotations you have noticed in the week's section that support each of the themes. (In other words, bring ideas for all six themes...you will discuss one in detail and report back to your home group.)
1. Genius and Innovation:
A major theme in Ender's Game is Ender's incredible ability to think outside the box, to see things from a new perspective, and to try things no one else has ever thought to try before. What can we learn from this story about genius and innovation? What can we learn about creative and critical thinking?
2. Effective and Ineffective Leadership:
Throughout Ender's Game, we see examples of leaders and leadership--some great, like Ender and Alai, and some terrible, like Bonzo and Rose the Nose. Based on the examples we see in the book, what can we learn about effective leadership? What makes a good leader? What can destroy effective leadership?
3. Adult Manipulation of Young People:
A major theme in Ender's Game is that the adults are constantly manipulating young people to serve their purposes. Why do adults (in the story and in real life) try to manipulate children? Is manipulating another person necessarily a bad thing? Is allowing yourself to be manipulated a good thing or a bad thing?
4. Isolation and Loneliness:
Throughout Ender's Game, Ender is isolated--kept apart from other children and young adults who could be his friends. Why do the adults at Battle School do this to him? And what effects does this isolation have on Ender? What can we learn about the effects of isolation and loneliness?
5. Humanity and Inhumanity:
A major theme in Ender's Game is the relationship between humanity and inhumanity. "Humanity" means having compassion or sympathy for other people, especially people in pain or distress. So a "humane" person finds it hard to hurt another person or animal because he or she feels sympathy for others. "Inhumanity," on the other hand, means a lack of these compassionate qualities. So an "inhumane" person is often brutal and merciless.
Ender Wiggin is an interesting character because he seems to show both of these qualities. As we read Ender's Game, what can we learn about humanity and inhumanity? What really makes a person humane or inhumane?
6. The Justification of Violence during War:
Ender's Game raises an important moral and ethical question: In a state of war, are you justified in doing anything necessary to win? Graff and the leaders of Battle School allow some terrible things to happen, including the death of a student. Ender does some terrible things, killing not only two other children, but also an entire race of intelligent beings. Can those acts of violence be justified because they were necessary to win the war against the buggers? Were some of those acts still morally wrong? In war, can all violence be justified? Where is the line between acceptable and unacceptable violence?